Souk Scene. Signed M. Bertuchi. Orientalist School. 20th Century. Watercolor on paper. The work depicts a street scene in a souk or market in North Africa, captured with a traditionalist eye. Several figures wrapped in robes walk under a pergola that filters the light, projecting geometric shadows onto the pavement. In the foreground, a group of figures can be seen next to a whitewashed wall with an arch, one of them wearing a red headdress. The architecture and light recreate an atmosphere typical of the Maghreb region. The watercolor technique is executed with great freshness, using transparencies and plays of light and shadow to suggest the vibrancy of the moment. Signed in the lower right corner: “M. Bertuchi”. The work belongs to the Spanish Orientalist movement of the early 20th century, closely aligned with the sensibility of Mariano Bertuchi, a painter specializing in the life and landscapes of the Spanish Protectorate in Morocco. Dimensions: 21 x 15 cm.
